


The Weekly Shop

by freckledfox



Series: Becoming Human [2]
Category: Class (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 02:38:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8603914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freckledfox/pseuds/freckledfox
Summary: Charlie's first time in a supermarket, he gets exited in the arts and crafts section. Part of a series of short fics in which Charlie learns about everyday aspects of human life.





	

When Matteusz discovered that Charlie had never before done the shopping he was more surprised by the lack of shock he felt than by Charlie’s admission. Things that were a mundane part of life seemed alien to him, especially simple tasks that most humans wouldn’t consider to be difficult; like crossing roads, using a washing machine, setting up a DVD player. Finding out that the alien Prince had never had to visit the Rhodian equivalent of ASDA was one of the easier things to understand, and as always, to rectify. So after sending a quick text to Miss Quill (using Charlie’s phone as she’d never give anybody else her number) and taking some re-usable ‘Bags for Life’ from under the kitchen sink, he pulled Charlie gently by the hand and led them to the supermarket. 

Charlie’s eyes widened as the automatic doors opened and aisles upon aisles of products presented themselves. Fortunately, the supermarket wasn’t tremendously busy so Matteusz patiently allowed Charlie to stare for a few moments, not minding the strange looks from the other shoppers so Charlie could properly process the situation. He had been learning every day since he came to Earth. It was clear when he was experiencing something foreign to him, his eyes would widen a fraction and he’d cock his cock his head to the side just a little; and if he felt happy with what he had experienced he’d exhale a laugh and look to Matteuz, smiling. However, it became clear that Charlie didn’t know what to make of the new environment. Although his expression became more neutral he still looked slightly perplexed as he tugged Matteusz hand to get them walking again.

“I understand the function of a supermarket, but why is there so many of the same thing?” Charlie asked as the pair strolled down the cereal aisle.  
“Many people shop here, there needs to be enough,” responded Matteusz.  
“No, I meant, ‘why are there so many types of the same thing?’ aren’t Choco-hoops and Choco-rings essentially the same product?”  
“They’re different prices.”  
“In that case, why not just stock the cheaper one that people will more likely buy?”  
“I don’t know,” Matteusz admitted finally, knowing that if he attempted to come up with an answer Charlie would have a barrage of questions to follow it as he always did. He was a very patient boyfriend, the only person who could possibly endure the cultural questioning of an alien, but consumerism and business strategies of supermarkets were not areas he could explain. 

The shopping trip had already taken more than double the time it would have done if Matteusz was alone, with Charlie happily pulling them through every aisle and excitedly asking questions about anything that caught his interest. When walking alongside some arts and crafts products Charlie, for the first time let go of his boyfriend’s hand and half-jogged over to something that caught his eye. When Matteusz reached him, Charlie spun around in his direction and shoved some glow-in-the-dark star stickers into his hands.  
“What are these? Do they really glow!?” His face lit with joy at the image in his mind.  
“Not as much as you’re imagining, I think. But yes, they do,” Matteusz tried to tone down the overly optimistic image that was undoubtedly forming in Charlie’s mind; of pretty twinkling lights, like the real stars he’d gaze upon at night. It was no use. Charlie was smiling, large and happy, radiating excitement and interest and Matteusz was helplessly enamoured by it.  
“We can get some if you’d like.”

Their trolley was full of food, and missing the four sheets of stickers that Charlie insisted on carrying in his arms all the way around the supermarket.  
Once they’d returned home from their outing they quickly put away the shopping into the various cupboards in the kitchen and gone to Charlie’s, now their, bedroom to stick the stars to the wall. But to Matteusz’s surprise Charlie didn’t want to stick them to a wall, but rather the inside of their wardrobe. When asked why Charlie explained that the person who had rescued himself and Miss Quill flew around in a box that was bigger on the inside; and that space is bigger than a wardrobe, so it would be like their own time-and-space machine. Looking purposefully away from Matteuzs’s face he would later confess the real reason, “If the world were ending and Miss Quill entered, it would be embarrassing for her to see them.”


End file.
